Home Ministery confirmed Raja Petra Arrested Under ‘Harsher Law’ ISA

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar told The Star Raja Petra was detained under Section 73 (1) of the ISA as he was deemed a threat to security, peace and public order.

He said that under Section 73 (1) Raja Petra would be detained for 60 days.

“The police will do an assessment during this period and if they feel he should be held more than 60 days, the police will then refer to me,” he said.

Syed Hamid also confirmed that Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan were issued show cause letters.

“They have been given a week to reply,” he added.

Raja Petra’s wife Marina Lee Abdullah said the blogger was arrested at 1.10pm at their home in Sg Buloh by a team of 10 police officers.

She told The Star that Raja Petra was taken away from their house by the police about 1.50pm.

“But I don’t know where they are taking him,” she added.

She said that the police officers also took some tapes and a computer from her room.

PKR Information Chief Tian Chua told The Star before leaving for Taiwan that he was informed of Raja Petra’s arrest by party colleagues.

“RPK’s daughter sent a SMS to say that her father was arrested about 1.10pm (Friday),” he said when contacted before he boarded China Airlines flight CI 0656, which was scheduled to depart KLIA at 2.20pm Friday.

Raja Petra’s arrest comes a day after the Cabinet ordered the Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) to re­instate access to all blocked websites, including the controversial Malaysia Today.

Energy, Water and Com­mu­nications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said on Thursday the order was made because there were other “harsher” laws in the country, under which authorities could take action against the owners of blogs and websites, instead of blocking it.

“The Cabinet has asked the ministry to direct MCMC to reinstate access to any blocked website with immediate effect.

“At the same time, it is asking MCMC to closely cooperate with the police, the Attorney-General’s Office and the Home Minister to monitor any website or blog to ensure that this does not contain seditious, racist or religiously insensitive remarks.

“Instead of blocking access to offensive websites, the Cabinet wants authorities to investigate and act quickly against the owners of these sites,” he said in Putrajaya.